killers, the both of us
by loveisforfairytales
Summary: Toni recognizes that arm anywhere. After all, you don't forget the things you've made with your own two hands. But if there's anyone who could understand the guilt she feels, it's Bucky Barnes. Post AoU & CA:WS, fem!Tony
"That arm is Stark tech, you know," she says with forced casualness. He's standing across from her tensed and ready to flee at any moment.

"I can recognize it anywhere," she continues, walking around and peering at the multitude of tools lying around in the abandoned garage they're both in. "from the moment that you appeared on national television fighting Captain America, I knew that the designs were mine."

Bucky Barnes stays expressionless, and Toni stares him down, looking for any hint of emotion. He seems unaffected that his arm was made by the daughter of the man he killed.

"I made it not too long after Dad's death."

He flinches.

"The board didn't want a twenty-one year old girl as their CEO, no matter what Dad's will did end up saying. Stane had been running the company for about three years at that point and I jumped through hoops in order to get him to back me up. That arm was one of many projects I worked on for him. Whether he was Hydra or just an evil bastard selling to Hydra, I guess we'll never know." Toni seats herself on the ground next to Bucky, who is still silent and brooding.

"I made too many things," she says softly, "Both during that year and the years afterwards, always trying to prove that I was good enough to lead Stark Industries. Instead I proved that I was an idiot who didn't know what her inventions were being used for. Tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of innocent lives lost because of me."

"You made the arm," Bucky finally responds, "but I'm the one that killed. They're the ones that killed." Toni snorts. It figures that the first thing he says is a statement of guilt.

"I armed both the good and the bad with the best of the best," she says scathingly, "everyone kills better and Stark Industries profits." She looks over at his arm. "It figures that my dad gets to help make Captain America, and I help make the Winter Soldier."

Bucky stares at her for a few moments before getting up and starts to pack his things.

"So what now, Stark?" Bucky says, "You going to invite me into that big tower of yours? I hear everyone moved out after you lot blew up Sokovia."

"Maybe I was tired of the place getting trashed by super villains and kicked everyone out," she shoots back. Toni looks petulant. Maybe irritated. Maybe hurt. He can't really tell.

"Of course," he replies, "that's why you invite the unstable assassin still being hunted down by Hydra. I understand your logic perfectly." She chooses to ignore him in favor of some interesting piece of scrap metal lying on one of the tables.

* * *

He follows her back to her large, empty tower. The Avengers have all fled, and he's comfortable in the quiet even if she obviously isn't. She leads him to a comfortable apartment with touches of the 40s. It's similar to Steve's apartment that's across the hall, Toni tells him a bit too carelessly. She brushes off any acknowledgment that maybe she cared a little too much for the teammates that left her.

They become comfortable around each other. Toni continues on with her busy life: designing tech for SI, refining her Iron Man suits, and attending galas that Pepper forces her into. Bucky spends his days searching for leads on Hydra either in the tower or out in the city. Sometimes he leaves for a few days, but he always returns. They meet mainly in the kitchen for meals when she remembers to surface from her lab or when he simply brings food down for her. Occasionally she'll see a wound he's trying to hide and forces him into SI's medical or patches it herself.

It seems while they aren't very good at taking care of themselves, they are better at taking care of each other.

She still interacts with the Avengers Initiative in the most professional sense, he knows. She designs their tech and funds the whole thing. She talks to Maria Hill at least weekly.

"Steve misses you," she tells Bucky one day over lunch. "Hill says he's unfocused and moody. He wants desperately for you to go back to him." They don't normally talk about Steve.

It's obvious that Toni and Steve never really got along. Years of her father comparing her to the perfect captain have embittered her towards him. How do you love the man your father wanted you to be? _If only I was a boy_ , she thinks sometimes, _at least I'd be halfway there_. He was her idol, then the impossible standard, and then the ghost of Howard back to taunt her for her failures. Nothing felt worse than being a disappointment to Captain America.

As for Bucky, how do you face the best friend you tried to kill?

Toni tells him to get over it. Talk to Steve. She a hypocrite who won't do the same, but at least she openly admits to having double standards. Double standards have ruled my entire life, she says and chooses not to elaborate further.

"I'll go." He says and it's about time. He's stayed away long enough to screw his head back on right. It doesn't hurt so much to think of Steve anymore.

* * *

He goes. Toni tries not to think about the fact that he's been gone for over a week now. Bucky was bound to choose his best friend over her. _And who wouldn't?_

The government approaches her about a little something they're planning to regulate superhuman activity. She says yes with the best of intentions. The rest of her old team don't seem to agree.

There's been plenty of yelling and terse statements. Steve looks at her with betrayal but what hurts more is seeing Barnes standing behind him with no emotion on his face at all.

They're about to do something stupid, she knows. Something big is about to go down again, so she isn't sure what to make of it when he appears in her living room this night. He's sitting on the couch, perfectly still.

"I'm with him till the end of the line," he says quietly, "He makes me good."

"I know," Toni replies. And it's true. She's grown up on stories of their legendary friendship. She's known all along who Bucky cares about most in this world.

"I care about you too," he continues. Toni sits down next to him and lays her head on his shoulder. There are no words.

They will fight each other soon. But maybe for just tonight, they can do something other than kill for the world around them.

* * *

 **AN: I've been playing around with this idea for forever, but the upcoming Civil War premiere gave me the inspiration to finish it. I'm considering this complete unless Civil War makes it too hard to resist writing more.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it, and please leave a review!**

 **PS. Sorry about not updating Hunting for Harry in forever. It's so far away from canon now I don't even know how to pick it back up. We'll see if I do.**


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